When Your Dreams Don’t Fit You…Yet

On Wednesdays we are thrilled to fling open the doors to all of YOU! We love hearing your dreaming stories…the lessons you’ve learned, the roads you’ve walked, the dreams He’s planted in your hearts! Today we are excited to welcome Karen Brown to God-sized Dreams. She shares the reminder that while it’s fun to dream big, sometimes we have to wait for God to grow us into the size of our dreams. Thanks for being here today, Karen!

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I entered the room and found her studying her reflection in the mirror, a girlish habit that sends up a maternal red-flag. “Do you like it, Mom?”

She was trying on a hand-me down dress given to her by an older friend. She tugged at the ill-fitting neckline and bodice; her body not yet the shape for its womanly cut.

I gotta give her credit. The girl dreams big.

And she’s a lot like me.

She pulled at the fabric and shifted her body until her reflection matched how she felt: bigger, older, and like someone else.

The enemy distorts the desires of our heart and tells us lies about our dreams:

Of all people, you can make this work…

This will make you someone special…

This is the how you are supposed to look…

It’s just what I want to hear, so I grin, stick out my prideful chest, and forget the truth.

The Author of my dreams reminds me of the words of David, a man after God’s own heart, found in Psalm 131, verse 1:

“O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.”

David was a creative, deep-feeling soul. But he also knew the danger of wearing armor that wasn’t his size. He pursued his dreams wholeheartedly, but allowed God to guide his steps toward them. (<====Tweet this.)

My daughter and I have a tendency to rush ahead of God. And today, she’s bought into the lie that she’s bigger than she really is.

I want her to dream. I want her to step out in faith and have high hopes… but stepping as herself, and with God as her guide.

God gave David big ideas and super-sized dreams, but provided David-sized stones for his first battle – instead of king-sized armor.

And David grew into his role and fulfilled the dreams that He and God shared… one battle at a time.

It’s my daughter’s reflection in the mirror, but it’s my story I see.

So, I convinced my daughter to change clothes and hop in the car for a trip to the mall. We held up beaded prom-dresses and tried on high-heeled shoes. We sampled some fancy eye shadows and bright lipsticks. We giggled at the lacy lingerie and granny underwear.

Then, we landed in the children’s department and found a darling, girl-sized dress –just right for middle school and with a little room to grow. She stood straight and still in the dressing room, smiling at herself – her true self – in the mirror.

It was fun and exciting to dream, wonder, and imagine together. It’s good and right to find the place that fits for now.

When our eyes aren’t raised too high, our souls are quiet and calm. Here’s verse 2 of that same Psalm:

“…But I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.”

Peace comes we aren’t tugging, adjusting, and puffing ourselves out. Quiet and rest come when we outfit ourselves with contentment and humility.

What about you? Are you a big dreamer and fast mover? Do you struggle with patience while you wait for Him to bring those dreams to fruition?

Or are your dreams too small, constricted by insecurity and tight with fear? Is it difficult to move and trust God’s big plans for your life?

Either way, pride is our Goliath and we can’t fight alone.

We need His Word to defend against the enemy’s lies. We need His Spirit to see ourselves correctly. We need loving people to tell us the truth, ask hard questions, and march with us toward victory.

The same God who placed David’s stones, provides all we need along the way. The same God who has been there for me will be there for my daughter. (<====Tweet this.)

And what’s the harm in trying on a queen-sized dress or a little sparkly eye shadow while we wait?

Karen Brown is a teacher at heart who is always searching for a creative outlet, and writing has recently provided that for her. Nestled in the St. Louis suburbs with four amazing kids and a very loving husband, she can usually be found serving her church’s children’s ministry, or hanging out with her family. Karen’s blog is a collection of writings that mainly serve as “altars” of her journey with Christ. Each piece was written after a time when she felt God, through His Spirit, revealed something to her about Himself, herself, or the world. Head over to Stooping For Manna, to read more of Karen’s words.

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Comments

Of course I liked this post, because I like you (and because it was a great post as usual). Good things to keep in mind as we help others dream and dream ourselves. So glad to see you here again Karen!